The greening of Canandaigua

Friday

Apr 24, 2009 at 12:01 AMApr 24, 2009 at 2:36 AM

“Go green.” It seems to be the popular phrase these days. But what does it mean? Does it mean moving to the back woods of Montana and living off the land? Or does it mean learning to co-exist with our environment peacefully? Maybe having to give up some of the luxuries of the modern world to ensure our planet is around for years to come.

Byron Smith

“Go green.” It seems to be the popular phrase these days. But what does it mean? Does it mean moving to the back woods of Montana and living off the land? Or does it mean learning to co-exist with our environment peacefully? Maybe having to give up some of the luxuries of the modern world to ensure our planet is around for years to come.

The answer isn’t simple; to some it is the first one, but to many others it is the latter. And to some people in Canandaigua, it means to do something about it.

Since February, the Canandaigua Greening Committee has looked for ways to “green” Canandaigua, through measures such as implementing a city-wide composting program, working to improve recycling in the community, and placing recycling bins downtown.

In an all-out push to persuade residents to do their part to help green the community around them, the committee will have a sort of “coming-out” party from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 25, in the Commons Park, in downtown Canandaigua. Local businesses will show what they’re doing to be green and will encourage residents to adopt the same policies in their own lives. In addition to businesses, members of the greening committee will be at the park with information for residents.

Other groups are also taking steps to make our carbon footprint smaller: one is Lynn Ocorr’s CORE (Collaborating Outreach Recycling Enterprise) — Canandaigua Academy students who travel to the Middle School and the Elementary School, teaching mini eco lessons. Also at the Academy is Eric Cosman’s Ecology II class, in which students have teamed up to plant a garden at the Academy where community members will trade labor now for fresh produce later.

So come down to the Commons Park on Saturday and find out just what it means to “Go Green.”